"You'll not be in heaven if you're not leaning on the arm of someone you have helped."Cayce (3352-1)

"And as He has given, "In all thy getting, my Son, get understanding." This is putting proper emphasis in the proper places, and do not become sidetracked by things that would pertain to material or spiritual alone, or things of the body or things of the heavenly force. For you grow to heaven, you don't go to heaven. It is within thine own conscience that ye grow there. For there first must come peace and Harmony within thy purpose, thy ideal, thy hopes, thy desires. Thy wishes even must be in Harmony with thy ideal if you would make the experience in the earth of value to thee."Cayce (3409-1)

(A) That of the subconsciousconsciousness, as known in the material plane, or the acts and deeds, and thoughts, done in the body, are ever present before that being. Then consider what a Hell digged by some, and what a haven and heaven builded by many."Cayce (5756-4)

"And each entity's heaven or hell must, through SOME experience, be that which it has builded for itself." Cayce (281-016)

"Now that we know that heaven is a cosmic cognizance or consciousness of that which matter is to that viewpoint - i.e. the essence or vital force of life, let us see what hell is like." Cayce (900-282)

"For the mind is the Builder, constructing a heaven or hell for the soul, depending upon how far that soul has drifted from its Creator." Cayce (364-013)

Heaven and Hell
I AM REMINDED of one English philosopher, EDMUND BURKE?. He was very friendly with the archbishop of England. Whenever Edmund Burke? used to deliver a talk in the university, the archbishop used to come and listen to him. It was worth listening - EACH OF HIS STATEMENTS WAS COMING WITH HIS WHOLENESS, with great authority.

But he never went to listen to the archbishop on Sunday in the church. The archbishop said, "At least you should come one time. I always come to listen to you."

Edmund Burke? said, "You come to listen to me because WHATEVER YOU KNOW IS NOT YOUR KNOWLEDGE - it is all borrowed, and you are not certain of it. Whatever I say is my experience, and I give every evidence and proof and argument for it. I can stake my life for my statements. You are just a parrot. But because you have asked, I will come next Sunday."

SO THE ARCHBISHOP PREPARED A REALLY BEAUTIFUL SERMON, thinking that Edmund Burke? will be present, so the sermon has to be as great as he can make it. But he was surprised. Edmund Burke? was sitting in the first row but there was no emotion on his face. The archbishop could not judge whether Edmund Burke? liked it, disliked it, agreed with it, or disagreed with it; he was very much puzzled.

And as the sermon ended, Edmund Burke? stood up and he said, "I HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK, A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION. Because your whole sermon was, in a condensed form, that the people who live a virtuous life according to your Christian ideology, and believe in JesusChrist, will go to heaven after this life. Those who do not believe inJesusChrist and live the life of a sinner, will fall into eternal hell after this life.

"My question is," said Edmund Burke?, "THAT IF A PERSON IS VIRTUOUS BUT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN JESUSCHRIST, WHAT WILL HAPPEN? He is good; his life is a life to be praised, but he does not believe in JesusChrist - where is he going to be? Or, a man who believes in JesusChrist but is a great sinner - where is he going to be? You missed mentioning two very important points; your sermon was half. And I was waiting to see whether you were aware of these two possibilities or not."

The archbishop thought for a moment - THE QUESTION WAS REALLY DANGEROUS. If he says the good people are going to heaven whether they believe in JesusChrist or not, then JesusChrist and the belief in him become superfluous, non-essential. And if he says those who believe in JesusChrist - even if they are sinners - will go to heaven, then sin is being approved by the church itself.

He was in a very muddled situation. He said, "Your question needs some time for me to think it over. Just give me seven days. Next Sunday, I will answer it."

For seven days, he tried all the scriptures, tried this way and that way, but... the question was simple... and he was caught in a dilemma. He could not sleep those seven days, because how he is going to face Edmund Burke? and his congregation? And whatever he says seems to be wrong: either it goes against JesusChrist or it goes against a virtuous life. He repented that he ever invited that fellow to come to the church!

He went early in the morning to the church, before the congregation came. He still did not have any answer. He thought, "In the early morning, when there is nobody in the church, I will pray to Christ himself to just show me the light, give me the answer. Because not only my prestige is at stake, his prestige is also at stake."

Seven days, continuously worrying, not sleeping... he was bowing down before the statue of JesusChrist. HE FELL ASLEEP, AND HE SAW A DREAM. Naturally, because for seven days only one thing had been in his mind, the dream was also connected with it.

He saw himself sitting in a train, and he asked, "Where we are going?" Somebody said, "THIS TRAIN IS GOING TO HEAVEN." He had a great relaxation, and he said, "That's perfectly good. Perhaps this is Jesus Christ's doing, so that you can see for yourself who goes to paradise and who does not go."

As he reached the station of paradise, he could not believe - IT LOOKED SO ROTTEN. He entered inside the paradise. The people he met were almost corpses, walking. He recognized few saints and he asked them that, "I want to ask one question: where is Gautam Buddha? because he never believed in JesusChrist or in God, but he was one of the most moral men you can conceive."

The saint said, "He is not here."

"Socrates?? He was also not a believer in any god, but was a man of great virtue."

"He is also not here."

And he said, "WHY DOES THIS WHOLE PARADISE LOOK LIKE A RUIN? And saints look like the dead; there seems to be no joy. I used to think that angels go on singing with their harps. I don't see any angels, any harps, any song, any dance - just few dull and dead saints are sitting under the trees."

And whoever he asked, said: "Don't bother us; we are tired."

Just an idea came into his mind at that moment that PERHAPS THERE IS A TRAIN GOING TO HELL, also. So he rushed back to the station, and the train was standing at the platform, ready to leave for hell. He entered the train. And as the train started coming closer to its destination, he was even more puzzled. The wind was fragrant with flowers. There was so much greenery, lush green. THE STATION WAS SO BEAUTIFUL - he had never thought that a station could be so beautiful. And people looked so happy, so joyous. He said, "My God, is there something wrong or what?"

They said, "He just passed by you. The man who was dancing and playing on the guitar was Epicurus?."

At that very moment, the shock was too much - he woke up. He said, "MY GOD! WHAT A DREAM!"

And people had started arriving - particularly, Edmund Burke? who was sitting in the front seat already, waiting for the answer.

The poor archbishop said, "I have not been able to find the answer. But I have seen a dream which I will describe to you, and you can conclude from the dream the answer."

He described the dream. Edmund Burke? said, "Now you conclude also! THE CONCLUSION IS CLEAR: that wherever good people are, there is paradise. It is not that good people go to paradise - WHEREVER GOOD PEOPLE ARE, IT BECOMES PARADISE. And wherever stupid people and idiots are - they may be great believers in God and JesusChrist and the Holy Bible, it does not matter - even paradise becomes a ruin. It becomes a hell."

I have loved this incident very much - because this is my approach, too. IF YOU ARE SIMPLE, LOVING, OPEN, INTIMATE?, YOU CREATE A PARADISE AROUND YOU. If you are closed, constantly on the defensive, always worried that somebody may come to know your thoughts, your dreams, your perversions - you are living in hell.

HELL IS WITHIN YOU AND SO IS PARADISE. They are not geographical places, they are your spiritual spaces.

Ramaprem, CLEANSE YOURSELF. And meditation is nothing but a cleaning of all the rubbish that has gathered in your mind. And when the mind is silent and the heart is singing... just listen to these birds.

You will be ready, without any fear; but with great joy, to be intimate?. And without intimacy?, you are alone here amongst strangers. With intimacy?, you are surrounded by friends, by people who love you. INTIMACY? IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, ONE SHOULD NOT MISS IT.

But before you can become unafraid of intimacy?, YOU HAVE TO BE TOTALLY CLEAN OF ALL GARBAGE THAT RELIGIONS HAVE BEEN POURING INTO YOU, all the crap that for centuries has been handed over to you. Be finished with it all, and live a life of peace, silence, joy, song and dance. And you will transform... wherever you are, the place will become paradise.